Tskhrajvari
The Nine Crosses shrine of St George on the Nakerala ridge — the most panoramic point on the Racha–Imereti border.
- Time needed
- 3 h
- From Tbilisi
- 280 km · 4:30
- Road
- Mostly paved
- Car needed
- Crossover / SUV
- Season
- May–October
- Entry
- free
From Tskhrajvari, in clear weather, the whole of western Georgia lies at your feet — the Colchis lowland running to the Black Sea on one side, the white wall of the Caucasus on the other. On a rocky lip of the Nakerala ridge, at 1,569 m, stands a shrine of St George that takes its name from nine crosses.
There are two legends. In one, a father carried nine crosses up the mountain for his nine sons sent to war — and all nine came home unharmed. The other tells of the Sopromiani brothers, exiles from Svaneti, whom a dove led to this summit; their descendants, the Sopromadze family, still climb up en masse on the last Saturday of May for the "Tskhrajvaroba" festival.
Getting there works like this: from the Nakerala Pass on the Tkibuli–Ambrolauri road, first about 1 km of dirt track, then a 2 km footpath along the cliff edge — moderate walking, with views that stop you every couple of minutes. At the top are the shrine, the crosses and a small cave; below shines the blue sheet of the Shaori reservoir and the Nikortsminda plateau.
Best from May to October; in winter the trail is snowbound and the cliff-edge sections turn genuinely risky.
Practical advice
The path follows an unfenced cliff edge — take real care with children and in fog, which can roll up here in minutes. Carry a rain shell and a warm layer even in summer, plus water and food, since nothing is sold at the pass. On the last Saturday of May the shrine festival fills the mountain — crowded, but a genuinely authentic day out.
How to get there from Tbilisi
From Tbilisi follow the E60 towards Kutaisi, then turn off for Tkibuli and climb to the Nakerala Pass — about 280 km and 4 hours 30 in total. Asphalt runs all the way to the pass; the serpentine is steep but in decent shape. The final 1 km is dirt track: an SUV gets you to the start of the footpath, while with an economy car you simply park at the pass and walk. Refuel in Tkibuli.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
Nikortsminda Cathedral
An 11th-century cathedral covered in exceptional stone carving, with late medieval frescoes inside.
Ambrolauri
Georgia's smallest regional capital, on both banks of the Rioni — the practical base for Racha and the edge of the Khvanchkara wine zone.
Best car for this trip
Mostly paved
Guides
- Winter Driving in Georgia: What Closes, What Opens, Which Car Of the 267 places we map, 161 are in season in winter and 52 are flagged as not reachable year-round. The pass
- The Best Time to Visit Georgia, Counted Month by Month Georgia does not have one season. It has two countries: a 60% country from November to April and a 99% country
Pickup locations
Car Rental in Kutaisi — 26 km (straight line)
Booking and enquiries
The easiest way to reach these places is by car — you pick the route and the stops.